The other side of this life
by Kiha
Summary: Talyn was always the girl to go everywhere and nowhere. She never felt like she belonged, but can she stick around her fellow mutants when Xavier offers her a home? What is her connection to the Brotherhood? Can she be trusted? And then there's the Cure..
1. Chapter 1

**The other side of this life: chapter 1.  
>A story stuck inside my head for ages. Hope you'll enjoy. <strong>

Her eyes were closed. She didn't need them, not now.  
>She knew without looking that she was somewhere unfamiliar, the smells were strange. It smelled like hospital and metal, she caught a hint of a women's perfume, a little bit of blood…<br>Her eyes stayed closed. She didn't feel like opening them. Somehow she felt more tired than she had felt for a long time, intensely tired.  
>She wasn't comfortable though. She was lying on metal, probably an iron bed. It was cold. There was not much covering her body.<br>She opened her eyes, though it was hard. She looked down her body; only covered by black shorts and a black tank top. Covered with plasters and wires. Next to her were machines, monitoring her heart rate and other stuff she didn't know about.  
>She shivered.<br>What was she doing here? How the hell did she end up here?

She tried to retrieve her memory, but the last thing she could remember was the Polish truck driver, Pavlov, who agreed to drive her to some small city, somewhere she would go by unnoticed.  
>Then a flash.<br>And now she was lying on an iron table, being monitored by machines, but not bound, not caught.

Wait, maybe the doors were locked. Maybe people stilled caught her, caged her like an animal.

She stood up, ripped the wires of her body, which made the machines beep immediately.  
>She stood there, quietly, until the machines stopped. She stood there a minute longer, listened carefully, until she was sure it was absolutely quiet in her surroundings.<br>No one was alarmed by the beeping sounds.  
>She walked around a little. The room was cleaner than any place she had ever been before. Her senses weren't as overwhelmed here as in the underground bars and clubs she had been to, where a mixture of beer, sweat and vomit made it almost impossible for her to concentrate on anything else. It smelled like sterile, like hospital, she could smell the metal of the machinery. A little of perfume, vanilla and citrus.<br>The white, clear floor was cold on her bare feet. She walked towards a big oval in the wall, which looked like a door. It opened when she was in front of it.  
>She looked behind her, suspicious about this whole thing, but decided to walk through it. She didn't want to wait around until someone showed up and would do god-knows-what on her.<p>

At least the doors weren't locked, so maybe she could just go.  
>Or maybe it was all a trick.<br>What the hell did she get herself into this time.

The door led to a wooden hallway, which was a lot warmer than the cold hospital-like room.  
>She turned right, keeping her senses up, concentrating on every little noise she heard or every little thing she could smell. But there was nothing, hallway was empty except for a few paintings on the walls. Abstract paintings, no faces or landscapes. The hall led her to a stairs, an upward stairs.<br>She stopped in front of it, hesitated.

"_It's okay, you can come up here,_" someone said to her.  
>"What, where are you?" she turned around quickly, checked the room with her eyes, her nose, her ears, but nothing was there. No one was there.<br>"_It's okay, trust me. We can meet if you come up here._"  
>She stood still, turned her head slowly around a few times. "Who are you? Where the fuck are you hiding?"<br>"_I'm not hiding. I'm waiting for you, I want to meet you. I won't harm you, no one will harm you here._"

She realized the voice was more inside her head than outside of it.  
>She knew some telepaths, they were always fucking with her mind. She hated all of them.<br>"Get the fuck out of my head, you retard," she hissed. She was really pissed now.  
>"<em>I will never be inside your head if you don't me to,<em>" the man said, "_but I'd like to talk to you. In person._"

She sighed deeply.  
>She didn't really have choice here, if she would talk to the man, she would be done with all this bullshit and she could leave again, minding her own business. Hopefully.<p>

She climbed the stairs, until she reached a similar hallway, only much bigger and with much more doors leading to other rooms.  
>Where the fuck was that guy.<br>Why was such a big house so empty?  
>"<em>Take the last door on your right, I will be there.<em>"  
>"Hate telepaths," she mumbled to herself while rolling her eyes.<br>The last door on her right wasn't much different from every other door. It had a name tag on the side though, it read _Charles Xavier_.  
>Didn't ring a bell with her.<br>She knocked on the door. She wasn't really keen on talking to strangers, especially not when she was almost naked.  
>The door opened itself a little bit.<br>She hesitated for less than a second and then pushed the door and walked in.

The room was not that big.  
>There were a few tables, a big window and a fireplace. There was an old wooden desk.<br>Behind it was a bold man in a wheelchair. He looked at her and smiled friendly.

"Welcome Talyn."  
>She closed the door and crossed her arms in front of her, trying to cover up her body a little bit.<br>She looked at the man suspiciously, but didn't say a word. She really didn't like talking to people, or strangers. In fact, she didn't really like people in general.  
>"My name is Charles Xavier, right now we're at my school for gifted youngsters."<br>She still remained quiet.  
>"I know you don't trust me," he smiled, "but I assure you that you can. If you walk to that window you can see that this is not a prison or a mutant research center."<br>She looked at the window, back at this Xavier again and back at the window.  
>Slowly she walked towards it, without losing the man out of her sight. He was in wheelchair, but that didn't say a thing, he could still be dangerous.<br>She was now in the far most corner of the room, as far away from Xavier as possible. She looked outside.  
>It was a beautiful weather; the sun was shining on the grass and trees, the lake further away was glittering in the sunlight. There were no fences or any other visible barriers.<br>She looked at the man again.

"My team found you when you and a certain man named Pavlov got in an accident," he told. "They brought you here for some medical care."  
>"I don't need medical care," she snapped.<br>The man smiled. "I know."  
>Then he continued; "My school is a school for people with gifts, people like you Talyn."<br>She raised her eyebrows. "I don't have any gifts."  
>"You do, you do," he said, "it is not a disease Talyn, like many people want you to believe. It is a gift. A mutation. A step forward in evolution of mankind. Not everybody realizes it yet."<br>"I don't care. I wanna leave."  
>"You can leave any time you want," he smiled. "I hoped you would stay around here a little longer. I can give you a place to sleep, I can give you food, I can learn you how to use your mutation, how to control it."<br>"I'm not a fucking guinea-pig. I know stories like this. All bullshit."  
>"There are so much more people like you, Talyn. There are a lot of young, gifted students at my school. All with different mutations. All banned from society, but not by me. Not by each other."<br>"I don't fucking care, just let…" She stopped in the middle of her sentence. Someone was approaching the room, she could hear the footsteps become louder.  
>"What is wrong Talyn?"<p>

She didn't answer him. She froze when someone opened the door.  
>It was a man, she could smell it.<br>She didn't trust people, she didn't trust anyone, especially not men. This man smelled rough, like he might hurt her.

"Prof, I got the sweater you…" before the deep, growling voice could finish his sentence, a sharp metal sound went through the room.  
>The man, who had entered the room entirely now, looked at the corner she was standing in, was silent for a moment and then raised his eyebrows.<br>"What the fuck."  
>He didn't seem much impressed though.<br>She had drew out her claws. Her adamantium claws. She hadn't done that in a long time, mostly because she avoided every possible situation she might need them in, but partly because they hurt her. It was a pain every time they came out.  
>She hold the claws in front of her, forgetting about her half naked body. Her eyes were angry, but empty as well.<br>The man looked at her for a moment, then at Xavier. He just smiled briefly.

"Logan, meet Talyn. Talyn, this is Logan, he won't harm you."  
>She doubted it.<br>"Where'd you get those, kid?" this Logan asked her.  
>"None of your business," she snarled.<br>"I think it is," he said. Sounded sarcastic.

What the fuck was this all about. She looked nervously at both the men in the room, felt uncomfortable when she remembered she wasn't wearing a lot of clothes, but she didn't want to withdraw her defense.  
>"Talyn," Xavier said in his calming voice, "it is okay. We won't hurt you. Please trust us."<br>"I won't hurt you," the other confirmed, sounding quite casual.  
>"Logan, the sweater…"<br>"Oh, yeah."

He remembered the sweater he had taken and extended his arm to gave it to the girl. He could smell she was scared, so he didn't walk towards her to gave it. He knew that could go wrong with claws like that. Experience and stuff…  
>She seemed to hesitate and pressed her body nervously against the wall behind her. Then, she withdrew her claws, took a few steps towards him and quickly grabbed the sweater out of his hands. Immediately, she went back to the most far corner of the room, pulled the sweater over her head and leaned against the wall. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared at both of them.<p>

"I wanna leave," she said. Her voice sounded confident, though she was still scared.  
>"You can leave anytime you want, Talyn," Xavier said, "I only think there is something you might find interesting."<br>"I doubt it."  
>Xavier now looked at Logan, who was in his turn looking intensely at Talyn.<p>

"Logan," Xavier said shortly. Logan turned his head.  
>"What? You want me to…?" He pointed at himself. Xavier nodded.<br>"I think it will interest Talyn."

"Stop talking all this crap," Talyn said annoyed, "just fuck off with this _school_, I don't need a fucking school."  
>She started to walk towards the door. She was really sick of all this bullshit now and wanted to leave.<br>She didn't need this stranger to give her a place to sleep, or to eat, she could figure things out on her own. She knew she didn't have that much of a great life, but she would manage to get around, she always did.  
>She didn't need those idiots, who claimed…<p>

Before she had reached the door, she heard the sound of metal cutting through flesh, she could smell a little bit of blood, but that quickly vanished.  
>She looked down at her hands, but it were not her claws that had come out. She looked up.<p>

It was Logan.  
>He had the exact same claws as hers.<br>He grinned when he saw her face. Xavier remained silent.  
>"What kid, surprised I got the same set of claws in here?"<p>

Well, at least things were getting interesting now.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"This is a fucking joke right?"  
>Talyn stared at the pictures in front of her.<br>It showed her skeleton, fully covered in metal. Next to hers was a similar photo, only this was a man's skeleton, Logan's. The same metal covering it.

"Both you're bones are covered with adamantium," a woman named Storm told her.  
>She knew that already. She knew her body was filled with metal. She never knew how she knew it, but she did. She only could have never thought there would be someone just like her.<br>"It's ought to be an indestructible metal," Storm continued. "You wouldn't survive all this metal in your body if you would be normal."  
>Talyn sniffed. "What do you mean, 'normal'?"<br>"The mutation," Logan growled. He looked away from the x-rays. "I guess your body heals itself from whatever injury?"  
>Talyn nodded.<br>"The metal would poison you if your body would be normal. Now, it's healing all the time."  
>"It only took away your memory from before the surgery," Storm said. "Didn't it?"<br>"I guess," Talyn said. "I can only remember my life with the metal inside me, but I must be older."  
>"Your body was hurt too much when they placed the adamantium on your bones. It couldn't restore your memories. Logan has the same thing going on."<p>

Talyn turned her head to look at this Logan. She had never met someone like herself before.  
>Sure she had met other mutants, but they all were different.<br>They didn't have this animal side that she had. She was always seen as a beast, never understood.  
>Logan had to be like her.<p>

"Who did it?"  
>"William Stryker," Logan answered her question with a deep, growling voice. She could feel some tension there.<br>"Did you meet him?"  
>"Yeah." He grinned briefly. "He's dead now though."<p>

Talyn turned her attention to Storm again. "So, how old am I?"  
>Storm sighed. "I don't know," she answered.<br>"What do you mean, you don't know?" It almost came out as a snarl.  
>"Well, you could be 20, you could be 200. I don't know."<br>"How old are you?"  
>Logan raised his eyebrows. "How should I know, I'm in the same shit here."<br>"Your cells and DNA show no aging," Storm explained. "They just… renew all the time, without degenerating. They don't even divide, they just heal."  
>"So, I'm immortal?"<br>She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe, we don't know."  
>"Are there more like us?"<br>"There are more ferals," Charles Xavier said. "People with animal-like mutations. But I've never seen two ferals with such similar mutation. You are both more human than animal, both heal incredibly fast, you have the senses of a wolf… Some ferals are more beast than human, most of them don't have healing powers though. Just animal-like features."  
>"Are there a lot of feral mutants?" Talyn asked.<br>"Not so much in comparison to other mutants," Storm answered. "The mutation is not always a step forward. When you become more beast than human, it's sort of downgrade evolution."  
>She snorted. "So I'm some sort of primitive species of human?"<br>"No," Professor Xavier smiled, "you and Logan are one of the few ferals that are actually taking evolution a step forward. I'm happy to have you two around here."

She stiffened.  
>"I'm not staying," she said, trying to stay calm. He sounded like he wanted to run tests on her, to experiment on her. "I'm not a fucking guinea-pig you know, I've had enough of that bullshit. I just want to be fucking normal, live somewhere without people…"<br>"Talyn, Talyn, please calm down!" Xavier's voice was loud and steady.  
>"We're not gonna run any tests on you, unless you want to. We would certainly never experiment on you." He stayed quiet for a second until he saw she had really calmed down a bit. "I'm only offering you a place to live for a while, a place where you don't have to hide from people who want to hurt you."<br>"Maybe, I don't know…"  
>"You should give it a try kid, it's not as bad as it looks."<br>"You can still leave whenever you want," Storm added with a friendly smile.  
>She shrugged her shoulders. Maybe she could give it a try.<p>

Talyn was actually happy to find out they gave her a room of her own. It even had a normal bed in it, a little bathroom, a small television…  
>Yeah, maybe she could even stay there for a week, get a little comfortable, strengthen up a little, all before she would go back to her normal life. Or normal as it was… But she never really had minded traveling around by herself.<br>Someone knocked softly on her door. "Hey kid, hungry?"  
>Definitely Logan.<br>He opened the door without waiting for her reply. He had a cigar in his mouth and his leather jacket was zipped open, revealing the white shirt underneath it.  
>"You always storm into other peoples' rooms?" she growled annoyed. "And then smoke cigars?" She raised her eyebrows at him.<br>He only grinned.  
>"You're lucky I'm hungry," she added.<br>"Or else?"  
>"I would kick you out of here."<br>"Wish I could say that scared me kid."  
>She rolled her eyes. "Stop calling me kid."<br>He shrugged his shoulders and blew the smoke into her room. She hated the smell of cigars.  
>"Whatever, I'm going to grab some food, you comin' or not?"<br>"Yeah, yeah, easy."

"So, you're like a _teacher_ in here?" Talyn asked him that as if it was some kind of joke she wouldn't believe. "Like a real teacher?"  
>Logan rolled his eyes and took a bite out of the sandwich with beef. "Yeah I am."<br>She laughed . "What do you teach?"  
>"All kind of things," he answered vaguely. "What did you do out there?" He gave a short nod towards the window and she assumed he meant what she did before she came here.<br>"Traveling around a bit."  
>"Where'd you go?"<br>She shrugged her shoulders. "Just where someone would take me."  
>He looked up at her. "Not really keen on talking, are you 'uh?"<br>"Not really no."  
>"Hey Logan! Can I borrow your motor for the weekend?"<br>Talyn startled when the bright woman's voice sounded through the almost empty room. Logan looked up irritated.  
>"Fuck off kid, I'm not letting you drive that thing."<br>"What, I'm a good driver!" The girl sat down at their table and looked at Logan, not giving any attention to Talyn.  
>"Come on, I really wanna go to this concert, you're not gonna let me walk are you?"<br>Logan snickered. "You're not getting it Rogue."  
>"Please, please, please?" She looked at him with big, asking eyes and folded her hands as in a prayer.<br>Logan rolled his eyes. "No."  
>"Ah c'mon, I'll make you steak for dinner?"<br>This seemed to get his attention. He sighed deep. "Whatever kid, you can use it."  
>A high, cheerful sound came out of the girl's mouth and she hugged Logan shortly.<br>"Oh my god, thank you so much!"  
>"I won't forget about the steak," he growled low. She grinned at that, and then suddenly seemed to notice the other girl at the table, who she had never seen on the mansion before.<br>"Who's your friend?" she asked Logan curiously. Her voice still as cheery as before. Talyn could never understand those people, always happy.  
>"Hi, I'm Talyn," she introduced herself before Logan could. The other girl introduced herself as Rogue, still smiling and happy.<br>"Are you new on school?"  
>"I'm not going to take classes." It sounded hard and cold in Rogue's ears, but she knew that behind every mutant was a story. She hadn't forgotten her own story, so she would never judge on any mutant. She even could get along with Logan, unlike a lot of the other students here.<br>"Oh sorry, I thought you were a new student! You're not a teacher are you? I mean, I don't want to offend you or something."  
>"No, just staying here for a while."<br>"She's the girl we found in the car accident," Logan explained.  
>"Ah, I saw them bring you in here. You didn't seem to have a lot of damage." Rogue smiled. "Are you okay now?"<br>"I don't get hurt fast," Talyn said, "I'm fine."  
>"Well, if you want me to show you around a little bit, I'll be around." Rogue smiled once more at her, stood up, gave Logan a friendly punch on the shoulder and left again.<p>

"She's one happy girl," Talyn said annoyed.  
>"Yeah, since she's got the cure she's gotten a lot happier."<br>"She's got the cure?" Talyn repeated, raising her eyebrows. "Why?"  
>"She couldn't touch," Logan said. "I mean, I would take the cure if I couldn't touch anyone," he added grinning.<p>

That moment, Professor Xavier came in in his wheelchair, looked around the room and came to them. His eyes were serious this time, not with the playful spark Talyn had seen in there before. She could smell something she would define as nervousness, or fear maybe. She could see in Logan's eyes he felt something strange too, something that didn't really belong to Xavier.

"Something's wrong?" Logan tried to asked casual.  
>"We have a big problem," Xavier said serious. "We think the Cure just stopped working."<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Logan choked on his drink and spitted it out over the table. "Wh't you sayin'?"  
>"We have reason to believe the Cure is losing its effect," Xavier repeated deadly serious. "I just got a call from Hank in Washington, they're trying to find out more about this."<br>Talyn raised an eyebrow. "Can't you just inject it once more?"

"They've tried. More injections, stronger doses, different elements in the Cure in case the body had become immune to it… Nothing is working. The mutants who got the Cure are getting back their mutation. It comes back slowly, but steady."  
>"Why?' Logan asked.<br>"We don't know yet." Xavier was still deadly serious and didn't even pull a muscle. Talyn hadn't seen him this way in the short time she knew the man. He was always friendly and smiling with his warm, dark eyes. This didn't suit him.

"So what do you want me to do?" Logan asked.  
>"Actually, I'd like to ask you for a favor," Xavier said while turning his head to Talyn.<br>Talyn looked at him in surprise. "What, me?"  
>"Yes. I know you just arrived here, but I think you can really help us with this." Xavier paused and then looked at Talyn intensely. "We think the Brotherhood might me involved."<p>

Talyn stood up abruptly. Her chair fell hard on the ground and made a loud noise in the room. Xavier still looked at her, not blinking his eyes. Logan just stared, one raised eyebrow, having no clue what all of this meant.  
>"Fuck you, I'm leaving," Talyn scoffed.<br>"This is a very important issue," Xavier said calm, "a war could start between human and mutant."  
>"Whatever, I don't care."<p>

She turned around as abruptly as she had stood up, but within a second turned around again and pointed her finger at the professor.  
>"You promised not to go there," she said, and pointed her directed finger at her own head. "You promised." She turned around once again to walk to the door.<br>"I never did. Erik told me about you before we even knew each other."  
>"<em>Erik<em> told you?" The disbelief was all over her face when she was stopped on her way out, again.  
>"Yes, we are friends."<br>She laughed, not sincerely. "_You_ and Erik are friends." She laughed again, but her eyes were empty. "I can't believe that."  
>"Our history goes way back, Talyn, he might not consider me a friend anymore now, but we used to be. He told me about another mutant like Logan, but a girl."<br>"I don't want have anything to do with Erik ever again."

"May I interrupt here," Logan growled. "Who the fuck is Erik? An ex-boyfriend or something?" He added smirking.  
>Xavier turned his head and faced Logan. His eyes still serious. "Erik Lensherr is Magneto's real name."<p>

Logan choked and raised both his eyebrows to the max. "Magneto?" He paused for a brief moment to look at Xavier and then at Talyn, who was now standing in the doorway. "How do you know Magneto?"  
>"It doesn't matter, I'm not going to talk to him."<p>

Before the professor could even try to convince her, she smashed the door behind her. Logan could hear her walking away, until her footsteps faded away when she went upstairs.

"That's fucked up," Logan said. He was still staring at the door Talyn just disappeared through. "How does she know him?"  
>"I don't know," Xavier started, "I saw only fragments of her memory, I promised not to dig into it."<br>"What? Why not dig a little bit deeper when you saw Magneto in her brain?"  
>"I wanted her to tell it herself, eventually," he sighed deeply, "but with this situation going on right now, it is important we know as much as possible."<br>"Does the kid something have to do with it?"  
>"I don't think so," Xavier answered, but his voice had a little tremble.<br>"Coincidence that she shows up, then the Cure stops working?"  
>"I don't know Logan. We need to find out. But I think she might need a little more time."<br>"What she had to with Magneto?"  
>"I could only see fragments of her memory," Xavier sighed, "but I don't know. It was only his face sometimes. Fragments of her emotions back then, mostly fear, indifference…"<br>Logan sniffed. "Indifference I can see yeah."  
>"She needs a little time," Xavier repeated.<p>

Talyn plumped down on her bed. She thought she was done with her past, with Erik and the Brotherhood, now all this shit was coming up.  
>Why had the Cure stopped working? And how could <em>she<em> ever do anything about it?  
>If this really was Magneto's work, there was <em>nothing<em> really she could do about it. Though she couldn't think of a way he could have stopped the Cure from working.  
>She sighed again deeply. She would never go back there and talk to Erik. The Brotherhood was something from the past, not the present, she was done with that.<p>

"Hey kid, you in there?" the deep voice startled her.  
>"Leave me alone!" she yelled back. She wasn't in the mood for talking right now. Especially not about Erik and the Brotherhood. And not to these people here.<br>She heard the door open anyway.  
>"Fuck off."<br>Logan still walked in and leaned against the wall, he looked at her for a moment.  
>"Who would have a thought a kid like you knew Magneto."<br>"Why aren't you leaving?" she said annoyed.  
>He grinned. "Did you work for 'm?"<br>"I'm not talking about this. Go away."  
>"Or did he held you prison?"<p>

She rolled her eyes and stood up from the bed. This guy was even more annoying than Erik would ever be. She walked towards him until she stood in front of him.  
>"You don't know anything," she hissed, "so stop digging in my past. I'm not having any contact with Erik anymore. And I won't get in touch with him just to ask around about that fucking Cure."<br>"That Cure can start a war," Logan said casual, like he was talking about the weather.  
>"I'm not going there," she repeated. Her eyes flamed and Logan saw the beast inside her that he hadn't seen in her yet. Well, at least it was there.<br>He raised both his hands and she backed off a little. "Okay kid, not gonna force you."  
>"Good."<br>"You should get some rest," he growled. Then he looked at her once more for a short moment, making sure she wasn't packing her stuff or something, and then turned around and left.

Now she was alone, Talyn could definitely feel she was tired. Thinking about all this stuff made her even more tired than she already was, after she woke up earlier on the iron table.  
>She changed her clothes and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow of the bed.<p>

"You little scumbag."  
>What, where did that voice came from? Talyn tried to look around, but that wasn't possible, because she wasn't really there. She could see nothing but black space, smell absolutely nothing at all, but the voice was definitely here. She recognized it vaguely.<br>"It's been a long time, Talyn," the same voice said.

Where was she, what was going on?

"Since when did you become so quiet?" the voice laughed. The laugh was not sincere, more dark and cold. "Don't you remember me, after all I've done for you?"  
>That's when it hit her.<br>"Erik, what the fuck is going on!"  
>He laughed again, not something she had heard much and not something she wanted to hear more.<br>"I found someone who can place me in your dreams, don't you like it?"  
>"Oh my god, I thought I was done with you and now you're in here as well, can't you just leave me alone?"<br>"No darling, not now you joined Charles' team."  
>"I didn't <em>join<em> them," she said annoyed, "I'm just staying here for a while."  
>"Well, while you're there, I'd like you to me a little favor."<br>Now it was her turn to laugh. "Are you kidding me? I thought I had been clear on this, _I'm not on your side anymore_."  
>"I'm not asking this as Magneto," Erik said, "I'm asking this as me, you owe me, Talyn, I've done a lot for you. Now it's time to return the favor."<br>Talyn sighed. "I'm not going to kill anyone."  
>"That's not what I want."<br>"Well, what _do_ you want?"  
>"I want a boy called Leech."<br>"Why don't you get him yourself?"  
>"Because he is there, with Charles," he said, as if it were obvious. "He's protecting him."<br>"Why do you want him?"

It was quiet for a short moment, then he answered serious. "I want him, because then we can make the effects of the Cure undone. For always."  
>"The Cure?" she sniffed curiously, "so you do know more about that?"<br>"Of course darling, I'd have great benefit when it would stop working."  
>She had heard Erik had lost his powers when he got hit by the Cure, but she never had it confirmed.<br>"So it's true, you lost it?"  
>He remained silent, his answer after over a minute was almost an angry whisper. "Those ordinary human know nothing. They don't know what they've done and they'll pay for it."<br>"What has the boy got to do with it?"  
>"He made it," Erik said slow, "his body is used to make the Cure. He has the power to take mutations away when you come to close to him."<br>She thought she knew where he was going. "You're not going to kill 'm are you?"  
>"Of course I am darling," he said, and then; "remember, you owe me."<p>

When she woke up, she was soaked in sweat and the blankets were lying on the ground. A cold shiver went down her spine. She could still hear his voice in her head, still felt the cold of the void she just was in, even though it had only been a dream.  
>She knew she owed Erik. Big time.<p>

But did she want him to stop the Cure from working?  
>Did she want him to get his powers back?<p>

She sighed deeply and let her head hit the pillow again, drifting away in a dreamless sleep this time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The dining room was empty when Talyn sat down at one of the tables. Not that it was weird. Any normal human being would be sleeping around six in the morning. She sighed and leaned on two of the chair legs, while she stared out the window.  
>She had slept okay once Erik didn't intrude her dreams anymore, but once she had woken up again, she couldn't get that dream out of her head.<p>

She had to do this.  
>If she'd give him the boy, she wouldn't owe 'm anymore and he would stop bothering her.<br>Well, if she wouldn't give him the boy, he would follow her around – one way or another – until she would go crazy or go after him after all.  
>It wasn't like she got an awful lot of choice.<br>It wasn't like she hadn't done worse things. Giving a boy to the guy wouldn't be that bad. She didn't have to kill him by herself.

"Wow, you're an early bird." The cheery voice ripped her away from her thoughts and she bounced back on the four legs of the chair.  
>The girl from the day before, Talyn thought her name was Rogue, sat down at the other side of the table. Her hair was still a bit messy, and the weird, white strands were tucked away behind her ears.<br>"I couldn't sleep well," Talyn said.  
>"Oh yeah, I know how you feel," the girl smiled, "I was so full of thoughts when I first arrived here, I couldn't sleep well for a week or something like that."<p>

Talyn smiled politely.

"What time is breakfast?" Talyn asked. She was really hungry, since she hadn't that much for dinner the day before.  
>"From seven 'till ten," Rogue answered. "So you'll have to wait for another hour."<br>"Crap," Talyn grinned.  
>Rogue laughed. "So, where do you come from?" Rogue tried to make conversation, "why you came here?"<br>Talyn shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, not really had a home."  
>"Oh." Rogue remained silent and seemed to think about it. "That happens a lot with the people around here. Did your parents kick you out?"<br>"I really don't know," Talyn said again, "I can't remember."  
>Rogue pursed her lips. "Why not?" she finally asked.<br>"Because they filled my whole fucking body with Adamantium."  
>Talyn could see Rogue's pupils wide from where she sat. It was for a short moment though. "Sounds familiar," she then said casual, like it was the most normal thing in the world.<br>Talyn grinned at her. "Yeah, I know right."  
>"Same as Logan?"<br>"Yup, same mutation, same experiments… I was glad he already figured all the shit out."  
>"But you can't remember anything as well?"<br>"Nope. Just woke up years ago, without a memory, and with the claws. But well, I thought I've had them for all my life."  
>"Sounds like shit."<p>

"So what about you?" Talyn asked her. She wasn't really keen on talking about herself. She'd rather listen to somebody else ramble on about stuff.  
>"Well, I found out I couldn't touch people the hard way," she said. Talyn could hear a southern accent kick in there. "It had my boyfriend in a coma for months." She was silent for a second and then added; "Well, ex-boyfriend."<br>Talyn grinned. This girl wasn't as annoying as she thought she were.  
>"Then my parents kicked me out, Logan found me, we came here," she made a gesture around the room, "and now I'm following classes here."<br>"What happens when you touch people?" Talyn asked.  
>"I can touch them <em>now<em>," Rogue said. Her eyes saddened though. "Though the Cure is losing its strength, I know it's coming back." She stared at a point behind Talyn and seemed to be caught up in her own thoughts. She continued after a minute or so. "But before, when I'd touch people, I could take over their powers. They would become a part of _me_, you know. Their voice would be in my head for weeks after a short touch. I would take away their life strength, or even their lives if I would hold on for too long."  
>"Must have been tough."<br>"Yeah it was." Rogue nodded vaguely. "But you know, somehow the mutation made me who I am now. Sometimes I wonder if I could control it by now, you know, if I didn't take the cure."  
>"I guess you got a new opportunity soon," Talyn said.<br>"I know. I'm scared about it, if it stops working at all."  
>"Why?"<br>"I don't know. I'll have to watch out again. I don't know if Bobby can handle it…"  
>"Bobby?"<br>"Yeah, my boyfriend," she smiled, and then grinned, "I think he didn't mind I took the Cure."  
>Talyn grinned as well. "Guys will be guys."<p>

After breakfast, which they took immediately when it was served at seven, Rogue took Talyn for a tour around the mansion. Not that Talyn would remember everything about it. There were so many rooms, that you could wander around there for hours and still not find that one room you were looking for.  
>Well, at least she tried to remember the most important rooms of the mansion. The kitchen, of course, where you could grab yourself some food or a drink when you wanted to. The dining hall, where breakfast, lunch and dinner would be served every day. The floor with all the classrooms. The television room, where you could sit around a bit, watch TV or read a book or something. And next to that the 'game hall' as Rogue had called it, where the older students hung out a lot. You could play pool there, or darts, or any kind of video game or other game you could think of.<p>

After the tour, Rogue brought Talyn to her own room again, since she had already forgotten where that was.  
>"I'm glad your room is in the same hallway as mine," she smiled as Talyn opened her room with the key she had gotten. "If you want, we can hang out a little more."<br>Talyn turned her head around and smiled briefly. "Yeah, fine."  
>"And Jean and Scott in the room opposite of yours, have you met them already?"<br>"No, I don't think so."  
>"Oh well, I guess you'll meet them today," she said. "And Logan is next to you, so I guess you don't want to run into him when he's wandering around the mansion at night," she smirked.<br>Talyn smirked back. "Yeah, I might know how to handle 'm."  
>"I have no doubts," Rogue said half serious. "So, at twelve we have class from Jean, do you wanna come?"<br>"Oh, I don't know…" Talyn doubted, "I'm not really the type of girl to follow class."  
>"I could have guess that," Rogue grinned, "but she's a good teacher, she will teach everybody how to handle their powers, especially now with the stuff about the Cure going on."<br>"Okay, can you pick me up?"  
>Rogue smiled. "Yeah, of course! See you in an hour!"<p>

Talyn smiled politely and closed the door behind her. Maybe she could get an hour sleep before she would have to go to class. She snickered. _She_, going to school again. That was kind of funny.

They were a few minutes early for class and not many students were there yet. Rogue walked in as Talyn stood uneasy in the doorway.  
>"Hey Jean," Rogue greeted her teacher, who was a beautiful redhead. She looked up from the papers on her desk and smiled. "Hey Rogue, you're early."<br>"Yeah," Rogue nodded, "I brought Talyn with me!" She looked at Talyn, still in the doorway, and Jean followed her glance.  
>"Ah, so you're Talyn," she smiled as she stood up, "nice to finally meet you."<br>She shook Talyn's hand and looked at her for a short moment. "So you're Logan's equivalent." She grinned widely. "I hope you don't have the same temper."  
>"Don't know the guy long enough to say something 'bout that," Talyn grinned back.<br>"Trust me, you don't want to know," Jean winked at her. "So, you're gonna follow this class?"  
>Talyn nodded.<br>"It should get interesting," Jean smiled, "there will be a few other people. I'll have a few test to match your guys abilities to mine." Now she winked at Rogue and Rogue laughed.  
>"I'm not sure that's really fair," Rogue smiled teasing.<br>"What can you do?" Talyn asked.  
>"I'm a telepath."<br>"Like professor Xavier?"  
>Jean laughed. "Well, not much like him. I'm not as strong as he is."<br>"So, did you read my mind when I came in?"  
>"Oh, I have difficulties with reading Logan's mind as well as yours," she explained, "I don't know why. The professor thinks the Adamantium is blocking it somehow. Charles has a little bit trouble with you two as well. Not as much as me though," she added smiling.<p>

Before Talyn could say something about that, a few other students, all a little older, came in the classroom. Talyn felt a little uncomfortable around all these people she didn't know, but tried to relax a bit. She sat down next to Rogue, with Bobby behind them. They talked for a little while, until Jean was going to start class after a small, bald boy came in last.

Before Jean could even start her introduction to class, a crucifying pain went from the tip of her toes through her entire body.  
>Talyn screamed loud, as she threw her head back and extended her claws. The extending of her claws only caused more pain, going through her hands, her arms, her shoulders... Her head felt like it was going to explode.<br>Though she didn't, couldn't, notice, everyone in the room was now staring at her. Some of the other girls had screamed when the new girl had started screaming, others were just staring in disbelieve.

Jean ran towards her and was able to catch her before she fell off her chair.  
>"Talyn!" Jean yelled, "stay with me! What's happening? Talk to me!"<p>

But there was nothing Talyn could do.

The pain was now running through her entire body. She had never felt that much pain in her entire life and it felt like her organs were melting inside of her, like her heart was literally on fire, like her lungs were crunched together. She couldn't breathe anymore.

Air was not coming into her body. It started to get dark, voices and screams faded away, smells started to disappear. The pain became heavier, she felt how her body fell on the ground, how she slipped into a darkness...

And then it was all over.

She was breathing heavily when she opened her eyes again. Slowly, she could feel her body filling itself with oxygen again and slowly she regained her powers and was able to stand up from the floor and sit on her chair again.  
>Rogue looked at her, with a worried look on her face, and laid her hand on Talyn's shoulder.<br>"Jesus, Talyn, are you okay?"  
>Talyn breathed heavily for a few more seconds, then coughed, before she could speak again. "I guess, I don't know… what the hell happened?"<p>

"I'm so sorry Talyn," she then heard from behind her. Talyn turned her head around to see Jean standing in the back of the room holding the small bald boy, who had came in last. "I totally forgot that this is the only person alive that could kill you."  
>Talyn looked confused. "What… What do you mean?" she stuttered. She was still feeling slightly dizzy, but it was healing as well.<br>Jean looked at the boy and smiled at him. "It's okay, Jimmy," she whispered to him, so soft that probably only he and Talyn could have heard it.

Then Jean stood up and walked to Talyn, she sat down on the seat next to her.  
>"Talyn, that is Jimmy," Jean said, "he can take every mutant's power away, that's what he does. He can't control it yet."<br>Talyn cocked her eyebrows. "I don't understand."  
>"You see, when he takes your powers away," Jean started to explain, "you won't have your healing powers anymore, which means…"<br>"That the Adamantium is killing me," Talyn finished.  
>Jean smiled briefly. "Yes, indeed."<br>Talyn looked at the small boy, who was now standing in the corner, looking sad and sort of guilty. He waved at her, and she smiled in response.  
>She wasn't going to blame him.<p>

"I thought I was going to die," she said more to herself than to Jean or Logan, who were now the only two people in the room after Jean had send the other students away. Logan was probably there because Jean thought they could relate or something, about this. Not that she thought she would ever feel _related_ in any kind of way to that man. He was still as grumpy as ever.  
>"He killed me once," Logan then said, in a deep slow voice.<br>"You died?"  
>He grinned. "Several times kid. Don't worry about it, it's not that bad."<br>Talyn sighed deeply.  
>"Jimmy was the boy they took for the Cure," Jean said suddenly. "The government took him, captured him… they want to him again now it's stopping to work."<br>"He made the Cure?" Talyn asked in disbelief, "that little boy?"  
>"He didn't make it," Jean said, "he was <em>used<em> to make it. They used his DNA, enzymes… it came from him. Not that he wanted to give them that. He felt depressed for months when we got him back."

Talyn thought about her dream from the night before. Her dream with Erik. Did he mean this little boy? Did he want to have this boy?

"I heard something about _Leech_," she said carefully, "when the Cure was just invented…"  
>"That's the kid," Logan said, "Leech. You should stay away from him, as far as possible," he grinned.<br>She smiled absent-mindedly.

This was Leech.  
>This was the boy Erik wanted.<br>The boy that made the Cure and the boy that could break it again, according to what Erik was thinking. _It was just a kid_, she thought, feeling guilty. Did she really have to give him to Erik?  
>She sighed deeply. She owed Erik big time, the least she could do was give him the boy. She had done worse. It wasn't like she was going to kill him herself. Luckily, Erik knew she would never kill another person ever again.<p>

She _had_ to give him the boy. She owed him and he would stop bothering her when she did.  
>But now there was only the problem left that she couldn't get close to him.<br>She needed him and he was the only one capable of killing him.

She sighed again.

"You should get some lunch," Logan growled, waking up her up from her daydreams. "Trust me, it will make you feel better."


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope you all enjoy the story so far! Please review if you want to say anything about it, I'd really appreciate any kind of comment. **

**Chapter 5**

It was dark in the mansion when Talyn wandered around.  
>She had been sleeping, but Erik was interrupting her dreams again, telling her once again that he wanted Leech. Dead or alive, it didn't even matter to him.<br>She had been protesting, telling him she couldn't get close to him, that he would kill her, but he trusted that she would figure it out. If she wanted she could kill him herself and spare herself a trip with a captured boy.

She smiled when she finally found the kitchen. She had woken up hungry and thirsty, she hadn't had a good drink in ages and definitely needed a beer.

She grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat down at the little island in the middle of the kitchen.  
>She sunk into her own thoughts, but was startled when Logan walked into the kitchen. She hadn't noticed him coming in.<p>

"Hey kid," he growled low. He still sounded a little bit sleepy. "What ya doin' up at this time?"  
>"I can ask you the same," she said grumpy. She was rather sleeping right now.<p>

He grabbed a beer from the fridge as well and sat down at the other side of the island. He drank it silently and just stared at some point past her.

Talyn took another gulp from her beer and stared at Logan absent-mindedly. She then noticed for the first time he was actually pretty muscular, now he was only wearing a white shirt. She suppressed a smile and tried not to look again, but glared once more. Muscular, nice dark hair, a little sharp around the edges, manly jaw line…  
>Damn, she couldn't think like this. If there was one thing she had promised herself was never to go through men-troubles again. She didn't even want to.<p>

Logan hadn't noticed Talyn had been staring at him at just looked a bit drowsy.

Talyn yawned and Logan looked up distracted.  
>"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, not really having anything else to say.<br>"Nothing."  
>"Oh right." There was not much conversation in there.<br>"I'm gonna play some pool," Logan then said, his voice sounded hoarse.  
>"Oh," she smiled, "can I come?"<br>"Whatever."

He grabbed a few beers from the fridge and walked through the dark halls towards the game-room. She followed in his wake silently.

They barely said something when they started the game.  
>He was good at it, she sucked big time.<br>He laughed shortly when she completely missed a shot. "You ever done it before?"  
>She shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "Nah, only a few times. Besides, it's four in the morning, I'm not at my best now."<p>

He passed another beer to her and took another shot. When it was her turn again, he only snickered briefly.  
>"What?" she said irritated.<br>"You're not gonna hit any balls that way."  
>She grinned. "You know it better mister?"<p>

He grinned as well and walked over to the side of the table she was standing.

"I can show ya," he growled while he walked behind her and wrapped his arms loosely around her. He was positioning the cue and pulled her body a little bit backwards, so she would stand in the right way.

She was a little taken back with his sudden movements towards her. She was used to men coming over her, but most of the time she barely knew those men. Logan was more like her, he stood closer to her as a person, and she didn't like it when people she knew were getting too close to her.  
>She wasn't a girl that would trust people, not soon. There had only been one person in her life that she had trusted completely and that was Erik, and even he was not the best choice to rely on.<p>

When Logan touched her, she had startled a bit and her body froze for less than a second.  
>He didn't seem to notice, or just ignored it. He moved his hand lazily over her hand on the cue and gently pushed the cue down on the pool table, so she could take the shot. She could feel his chest pressing against her back, his muscles were tense and his breathing slow. He hold her a little longer than he was supposed to. A second more than necessary.<br>In that short moment, she could hear and feel his heart beating on a slow and relax pace, she could feel the hairs on his arm against hers, she could feel his tense muscles, and his smell that smelled like cheap bear and cigars, but not in a disturbing way.

She was sure he was sensing the same things about her. He would probably feel her faster heartbeat, the smell of coconut on her body, and maybe even the little tension in it.  
>He didn't say anything about it though.<p>

"You can take the shot now," he said, suddenly, "don't push too hard."  
>She swallowed and shot, making a successful turn.<br>He stayed behind her and hold onto her arms for a second longer. She swallowed again.

Then he let go of her, walked around the table again and started polished his cue like nothing had happened. "That's how you do it," he said, and shortly looked up at her. His eyes were dark, but with a little twinkle.  
>She raised her eyebrows shortly. "That was instructive."<br>"I'm a good teacher," he said, while taking another shot.

Talyn slept long that next Saturday. She had been playing pool with Logan 'til six in the morning and afterwards it had felt like they somehow had connected over more than only the claws they shared.  
>She took a quick shower when she got up and brushed her long black hair, until it was smooth again. She could hear Logan stumbling around in the room next to hers.<p>

After she picked up some food from the kitchen, she went outside and sat down on the grass at the side of the lake. The weather was beautiful today, a little but chilly, but the sun was shining and the sky was clear blue. She had always been more an outside person that an inside person, and always took the opportunity to enjoy some nice weather when she had the chance.

While she ate, she studied some of the other mutants that were outside. Some of them were playing around with their powers; a girl was growing flowers around the grass, Rogue's boyfriend – Bobby – was freezing things, another girl came outside by walking through the walls instead of using the door… Talyn smiled briefly and a short thought about her past life went through her mind.  
>She had met a lot of mutants, while she was in the Brotherhood. Most of them were abandoned, either by their parents or their beloved ones or either by society… it didn't matter, all of them had been full of anger. The people here were different, even though some of them had been abandoned as well, they seemed to be fairly happy living here, with fellow mutants, in peace.<br>Now she saw that it wasn't all black and white like Erik had told her.

"Hey Talyn."  
>Talyn looked behind her and saw Jean Grey standing there with a bright smile on her pretty face.<br>"Mind if I sit with you?"  
>"Oh, no, that's okay." Talyn moved over, even though there was plenty of room. Jean sat down next to her and they both stared at the water for a little while.<br>"Do you enjoy it here?" Jean asked, trying to make a little small talk.  
>Talyn took another bite from her sandwich. "Yeah I guess, it's okay."<br>"I'm still sorry about Jimmy," she said apologizing, "I hadn't thought about it. Else, I would have never let him close to you."  
>"Oh, I know," Talyn smiled, "that's okay. Luckily for me I heal pretty fast."<p>

Jean smiled as well and stroke a hand through her red hair. "So, what do you wanna do while you're here? You know, we can make you a program to follow a few classes that might help you, or you can help me and the other teachers with their classes, maybe eventually be a teacher yourself…"  
>Talyn shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "I don't know, I've never been to school or something, as far as I can remember… And I don't think I'll make that good of a teacher."<p>

"Well, Logan teaches as well," Jean laughed, "if he can do it, you probably can do it better."  
>Talyn laughed. "There you got a point."<br>"Anyway," Jean continued, "I don't know how long you want to stay around, but you'll probably get bored when you've nothing to do."  
>"Yeah, sure about that," Talyn confirmed, "I guess I can follow a few classes, maybe help some of you guys with your classes…"<br>"Sounds like a plan. We can make a program for you, later on."

That sat at the edge of the lake for some more time, and talked to each other about their past, the school and everyone on it. Jean seemed to be a really nice person, and even though Talyn was always wary of other people, this Jean had something about her that had to make you trust her instantly.

"Hey Jean."  
>Talyn looked up when the low voice called the woman next to her. Logan was standing behind them, wearing old jeans and a leather jacket above it. He put a cigar in his mouth and took a drag.<br>Jean looked up as well.  
>"The professor wants to talk to you," he said. "Ya know, 'bout the school when he's away."<br>"Ah okay, I'm on my way." Jean stood up from the ground. "Did you talk to him already?"  
>"Yeah," Logan growled, "he's leaving this evening."<br>Jean took off and Logan plumped down next to Talyn on the grass, then took another drag from his cigar and blew the smoke to his side, so that it wouldn't get in her face.

"The professor is leaving?" Talyn asked curious.  
>"Yup."<br>"Why?"  
>Logan shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, business I guess, he doesn't say a lot 'bout it."<br>"Something with the Cure?"  
>"I think so, maybe the Brotherhood."<br>"Oh." She was silent for a short moment and thought about a few days ago, when she had just arrived here and Charles Xavier had asked her to help him with the troubles around the Cure and the Brotherhood.  
>"He's not mad at you kid," Logan looked at her sideways, "that you don't wanna talk to them."<br>She knew he was talking about Erik. The others in the Brotherhood. Her past.  
>"He can handle it himself. Charles' a big boy." Logan grinned.<br>"Who's gonna take care of everyone around?" Talyn had suddenly thought of the opportunities of a mansion without Xavier. He was the only one that could read her mind, even though it was only a little bit. Jean had told her she couldn't really read it. If Charles was gone, she could do her final favor to Erik. She could kill the boy, then leave the castle before Charles would return and go back to her old life. She could do whatever she wanted without Erik bothering her.  
>"Storm's in charge," Logan said. "Jean and I will help her a bit if necessary."<p>

When she and Logan were walking to the dining hall that evening, for dinner, she was stopped by Storm, who asked her if they could talk for a short moment. Logan walked on as they both stepped into a small classroom.  
>"I think you've heard the professor will leave for a short time," Storm smiled, "I'll be in charge of the school as long as he'll be away."<br>Talyn nodded. "Yeah, I know, Logan told me about it."  
>"We only have one tiny problem now." The smile on Storm's face grew wider as she talked. "Now I'm in charge for a while, I have a lot to do. There's a school dance though, tomorrow evening, one of the biggest we ever had and everyone has been looking forward to it for ages."<br>Talyn cocked her eyebrows. What had that to do with Xavier leaving?  
>"We need a few of the older mutants around to keep an eye on the kids," Storm said, "you know how they can get with alcohol around."<br>Talyn grinned. She knew.

"I would keep an eye on them first, but tomorrow evening I'll have to go to a few kids homes, inviting them over to the mansion and take lessons here… So now we're a little short on supervisors." She winked when she said the word 'supervisors'.  
>Talyn smiled as she saw where this was going. "Oh, I don't know if I'm a good one for that," she grinned, "with alcohol around and stuff…"<br>"Oh that'll be fine!" Storm interrupted her, "besides, you're not the only one keeping an eye on them. Jean, Logan, Hank and Warren will be there too."  
>"I don't know… I don't think it's a good idea to…"<br>"Come on, you'll do me a huge favor!"

Talyn hesitated for a few seconds, but what the hell, she deserved a good party after all she's been through.  
>"Okay, fine," she said.<br>Storm squealed and pulled her in for a short hug. "Thank you so much!"

Charles Xavier had left the school after saying a short goodbye to the students during dinner. Talyn knew she had to do it, one of these days, while he was not around.  
>She had started to like the school though. Now she had to leave again, she couldn't stay there after she killed the boy, not when Xavier could read a little of her thoughts. Not when no one around the mansion would understand why she'd done it, that she owed Erik.<br>Not when no one would understand she wasn't actually a killer.

She sighed deeply and quickly fell into a long, but restless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Rogue stood in front of the mirror and held the dress in front of her body.  
>"Isn't it a little too much, a dress?"<br>"I don't know what kind of parties you throw here," Talyn laughed, "but it's cute, you should wear it."

Rogue plumped down on her bed next to Talyn and leaned back on her elbows as she looked at Talyn who was doing her make-up in a little mirror on her knees.

"You should curl your hair," Rogue suggested, "and…" she grabbed something out of the pile of clothes on her bed and threw in into Talyn's lap, "you should wear that."  
>Talyn laughed and held the black, sleeveless top up. "I don't know, it'll probably slide off or something."<br>"I don't think any guy would mind," Rogue grinned, "but seriously, wear that with this tight jeans," she threw another piece of clothing to her, "and that shoes," she pointed at the high heeled, ankle booths on the floor. "It looked gorgeous on you."  
>"I'm so glad I can borrow your clothes," Talyn sighed, "I think my own clothes burned in the auto crash or something. So sad."<br>"Such a shame," Rogue agreed, "lucky for you I have enough clothes for the entire school."

Rogue put on the dress while Talyn added some more eyeliner under her eyes, until the dark lines accentuated her blue eyes just enough. She saw how Rogue put on the long, black gloves so that most of her skin was covered.  
>"Is it worse?" Talyn asked.<br>Rogue shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, I can touch for a few minutes now, but it gets worse every day."  
>"They'll probably find something to fix it," Talyn said. She got up from the bed and changed her clothes for the clothes that Rogue had for her. She looked in the mirror and pulled her hair up, but let it go again when Rogue let out a small scream.<p>

"Oh my god, you have a tattoo!"  
>Talyn grinned and turned around again to show Rogue the tattoo between her shoulder blades.<br>Rogue stood up from the bed as well and gently touched the tattoo. "It's pretty, a compass right? What does it stand for?"  
>"I don't know," Talyn said honestly, "I got it before I lost my memory, but it's a nice compass. I still like it."<p>

Rogue smiled and did her make up while Talyn put on the high heeled shoes. She walked through the room a few times, but was quite comfortable a few inch above the ground.  
>Rogue curled Talyn's hair, while they straightened Rogue's and Talyn had to admit she had quit some fun doing these girly things, she had missed that. She even started to feel comfortable around Rogue.<p>

"So, I think we're done," Rogue smiled as they both looked into the large mirror, standing next to each other. "Well, if we don't get some attention now, I wouldn't know what's wrong with us. Not that I can, I have Bobby," she then added, "but I'm sure there's something in for you," she said with a grin. "Logan shows up mysteriously everywhere you are."  
>Talyn laughed and gently pushed Rogue in her back. "I don't think so."<br>"Why not? He's handsome."  
>"He's not my type."<br>Rogue's eyes widened. "How can he not be your type? A guy with a body like that is everyone's type."  
>"No men in my life," she said, putting her hands up defiantly.<br>Rogue laughed. "Well, let's just have a girls night out then."

Talyn looked around the big room that was decorated to be some kind of disco. There were a lot of people, they had arrived quite late, and she could smell a strong scent of alcohol and excitement among the young students in the room. The music was too loud for her ears, but she could still hear the conversations people were having a few meters away from her.

"I'm so excited, I haven't had a good party in ages," Rogue smiled. She dragged Talyn along with her towards the bar and bought the two of them a beer.  
>"Can you even get drunk?" Rogue asked grinning, "I mean, I can't remember seeing Logan drunk, so maybe you just can't."<br>Talyn grinned. "Yeah, I can get drunk."  
>Rogue started grinning as well, raised her glass and drank all of it at once. "I think we got ourselves a plan."<br>"Definitely," Talyn emptied her glass as well, "only you'll get the hangover, I won't," she grinned after.  
>"I hate you," Rogue said laughing, "but I thought you and Logan couldn't get drunk."<br>"I don't know about Logan, I guess he's just so used to beer that he won't feel a lot about it," Talyn started, "but as long as it isn't killing me, I can get pretty drunk. Guess it doesn't filter out of the blood that quick."

They drank another beer together, until Bobby came up and took Rogue with him to the dance floor. Talyn watched them as they disappeared in the crowd and wanted to turn around to look for someone she knew, but soon someone had already came up to her.

"I think we haven't met yet," a charming, blond man said to her. He shook her hand softly. "I'm Warren."  
>"Talyn."<br>"Talyn," he repeated, "I must say you look stunning this evening."  
>She smiled briefly. What an ass-kisser. "Thank you."<br>She noticed the white feathered wings on the back of the man. He had folded them up against his back, they seemed fragile.  
>He followed her gaze to his own back and smiled. "They also call me Angel."<br>"I can see why," she responded sarcastically.  
>He smiled again, pretending he didn't hear the undertone in her voice and held his hand in front of her. "Would you like to dance?"<p>

Talyn sighed, looked around the room if she really didn't see anyone else, but she could only see Rogue and Bobby dancing close to each other. She laid her hand in his, "why not."

Warren bought her another drink before they headed to the dance floor. They danced, while he talked to her about stuff she almost immediately forgot, sometimes he touched her hand or her back while they danced. The scents of alcohol, sweat and excitement all filled her nose, it made her think about before she came to the mansion, when she worked at a bar to get some money and live an okay life. All the smells were intoxicating. The dancing was intoxicating.  
>Warren stayed with her, brought her drinks all the time, touched her more, maybe by accident or maybe not. She closed her eyes and just danced. She knew she was a good dancer.<br>He came closer to her, laid one arm loosely around her waist. She could smell his excitement, even though she maybe had a drink too much.  
>"You look great," he whispered in her ear as he casually touched her hand with his.<br>She smiled, not really knowing why.

He touched her earlobe accidentally on purpose with his mouth, whispered something else in her ear that she didn't catch. They were so close now that she could his heart beat if she wanted to. His wings were sort of glowing in the dark of the room and with his blond hair and blue eyes, he actually did look a lot like an angel.

Talyn smiled. "You look like an angel," she said in his ear. He took the opportunity of her head so close to his, to stroke his hand through her black hair. He rested his hand in her neck, while the other was still around her waist.

"I am an angel," he said. She could feel him smile against her hair. He then lowered his head a little and kissed her neck softly.  
>That broke the trance she had been in, probably because of the alcohol, and she took a step backward, gently pushing him away. He seemed to be surprised.<br>"I thought it was okay…" he said, not finishing his sentence.  
>She shook her head slightly. "No, it's not."<br>He took a step towards her again, but she raised her hands in a sort of barrier between them. She wasn't thinking with the alcohol in her body, but she didn't want this, right? She certainly missed the sex sometimes, but men weren't worth it. She had used her body enough, she could live without the sex.

Warren was about to say something, when a low voice from behind her distracted her.  
>"Everything okay here?"<br>She turned her head to see Logan standing there, wearing jeans and a shirt that was accentuating his muscular body on the right places.  
>Damn, if she didn't have a guy riding up against her to remind her of her sexless life, there was Logan showing off his looks unknowingly.<p>

She still took the opportunity to get rid of Warren.  
>"Oh, I just wanted to talk to you," she said, while she pushed Logan through the crowd as he cocked an eyebrow and smirked when he saw Warren being left alone.<br>When they reached the bar they both leaned against the wooden frame. Logan looked at her sideways, still grinning.

"Wipe that smirk off your face!" she said while the bartender gave them more drinks. Logan took a gulp from his beer.  
>"Should've seen angel-boy's face, kid," he said, "priceless."<br>"What were you even doing there," she said annoyed, "_supervising_ or something? It doesn't look like you're supervising anyone, so better not tell me that."  
>"No, it was fun," he said, still smirking.<br>"It was not funny!" she said and punched him against the arm. "I've had way too much to drink, not clear thinking up there." She pointed at her own head.  
>"Stop drinking then," Logan said sarcastically.<br>"Yeah, maybe _you_ should stop drinking," she said laughing, "you're not that clear anymore as well. I can smell it."  
>"You can <em>smell<em> it?" he asked, "what do you smell kid?"  
>"Alcohol," she said.<br>"More?"  
>She sniffed. "No, it's too crowded here."<br>He took a step closer. "Now?"  
>She suppressed a smile and sniffed once again. "Cigars."<br>He took another step closer to her, until their bodies almost touched each other, but not just yet. He slowly bend his head towards her neck.  
>"You smell nice," his voice growled.<br>"'n you look even better," he added, so soft that she could barely hear it, even with his mouth so close to her ear. His voice made her shiver and he probably noticed. He kept the distance though, a little space between their bodies, his one hand holding the beer on the bar and his other hand casually in the pocket of his jeans.

She stuck both her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. "Tell me something I don't know yet," she said, trying to sound a little bit arrogant, but teasing at the same time.  
>She knew he grinned, even though she couldn't see his face.<br>"You think the same 'bout me, kid," he said, "your heartbeat has raised. Your senses are sharper." This time, his cheek brushed hers as he spoke. She wasn't sure if he did that on purpose or not, but a shiver went up her spine again.  
>She backed away before she wouldn't be able to gain control of herself again. "I'm not doing this," she said.<br>He raised his eyebrows. "Doing what kid?"

Rogue interrupted their little private chat and grabbed her arm to take her back on the dance floor again. Talyn got into the music again and danced with Rogue, both getting drinks from different people of who some she knew and some she didn't.  
>"I wanna go outside for a minute!" Rogue yelled in her ear, "I'm a little drunk I think!"<br>Talyn laughed and nodded her head in agreement, she followed Rogue to the exit towards the garden and they both plumped down on the nearest bench that was over viewing the small lake.  
>"I <em>love<em> this party," Rogue said louder than was necessary. "So much fun."  
>"Yeah, where have you been all the time?" Talyn asked, she could hear she wasn't sounding as clear as she wished she would sound. But now she could only laugh about that.<br>"Bobby," Rogue grinned, "you know, kissing for a few minutes each time can be quite exciting." She pulled her gloves a little up unconsciously. "I saw you with Warren!" she then squealed, "did you do something?"  
>"No, Logan pulled me away from 'm," she laughed. Rogue's smile grew wider.<br>"Logan _wants_ you," she said teasingly, "you awake his beast."  
>Talyn grinned. "Yeah, well, my beast is sleeping right now."<p>

"Bobby!" Rogue suddenly yelled excited, and she jumped up from the bench to ran towards her boyfriend who just appeared out of the building.  
>Talyn watched for a second as they kissed each other, but looked away and stared at the lake as the kissing became more intense. She wasn't surprised when Logan sat down next to her a few minutes later.<br>"You okay kid?" he asked while he put a cigar in his mouth and lighted it.  
>"I'm fine."<br>"Sorry 'bout before," he said. He nodded with his head towards the mansion, where the party was still going on. "The alcohol ya know."  
>She smiled briefly. She knew he saw that, he was sometimes looking at her sideways. "I know."<br>"Maybe you could try the next time to look less…"  
>"Look less what?"<br>"I donnow," he growled, "stunning."  
>She laughed.<br>"Seriously," he said, "I'm still a guy here."  
>"Yeah, I noticed."<br>He grinned. "Oh good, at least you notice."  
>Now she looked at him from beside, cocking an eyebrow. "Well yeah, what do you think, not a lot of guys out there with a body like that," she said while nodding her head towards him. "A girl needs her eye candy too."<br>He laughed and rolled his eyes. "Great, I'm eye candy."  
>"One of the better types," she said trying to sound serious. He laughed again and then they both stared at the lake for a short time. It became colder though, and Talyn crossed her arms in front of her body, trying to suppress a shiver.<p>

"Here, put the jacket on," Logan said while he was already taking off his own leather jacket. He held it up for her and she smiled, slipping her arms in the sleeves. His hands accidentally touched her arms as he did so, causing Talyn to shiver a bit, but not enough for him to notice. He let out a short laugh when he brushed her hair aside and saw the tattoo between her shoulders.  
>"Nice tattoo kid," he said.<br>She turned her head to look at him and cocked an eyebrow. "At least try to not sound sarcastic," she said, "_I_ like it."  
>"I'm not sarcastic," he growled as he touched the tattoo with his fingertips. He slowly went up her neck with his fingers, making her shiver again, and went down again when he had reached her ear. She couldn't move, but could feel how he pulled her a little bit backwards and she could feel his chest touching her back only a little bit. She could feel him breathing against her neck as he now slowly massaged her neck and shoulders with his too big hands.<br>She didn't exactly know whether she liked it or not. Hell yeah, she did _like_ it, but she wasn't sure if she let him do that because she wanted to or just because she had too much drinks and just couldn't say no now.  
>He rested his head against her hair as he kept on rubbing her bare skin.<br>She sighed deeply and she could feel him grin.

"You like it, 'uh?"  
>"Yeah," she sighed again, "I guess…"<p>

Her whole body tensed when he let one of his hands slide across her arm and he moved his head down her neck, to kiss her softly below her ear. She still wasn't able to turn around towards him as he kissed her there once more, held her by her neck with one hand and by her waist now with the other. She could feel how he tightened his grip around her waist as he kissed her on her neck once again.  
>She swallowed, then turned her head around, making him face her. She could see the beast live up inside him and she knew how he felt. She could still feel the alcohol running through her veins and wasn't thinking clear anymore. Logan was sitting there, facing her with a certain look in his eyes, his one hand still on her waist, and he was even more good looking than ever. The muscles of his arms showed through his shirt.<br>They looked each other in the eye for a second and before she even realized, his lips crashed on hers and she had started to kiss him back.  
>She wrapped her arms around his neck as he now laid both his arms around her waist. He kissed her roughly, his tongue fighting with hers as his hands went up and down her body. His hands felt good on her, big and gentle and his muscular chest against hers felt protective and warm. They both breathed heavier and she moaned softly when his lips trailed off towards her neck again and started kissing her there.<br>His one hand found the bottom of her shirt and he caressed the small of her back gently as he kissed her again. She couldn't help but moan softly again, only making him pull her closer to him. She slid one of her hands downwards until she found the top bottom of his shirt and slid her hand under the shirt, touching his upper chest and shoulder. She could smell the excitement coming off of them, she could smell his arousal and she could hear how his heartbeat had raised.

Neither of them dared to break the kiss, not knowing what to do after it, but sooner then they wanted to, they were interrupted by Rogue and Bobby who were stumbling towards the bench they were on, laughing loudly about something they were talking about. They hadn't even noticed Talyn and Logan sitting there.  
>Talyn pulled away as soon as she could hear them coming nearer. Logan stared at her confused, then turned his head and stared at Rogue and Bobby. They were both still breathing heavily and didn't say a word. One of his hands was still unconsciously still lying on her waist.<p>

Rogue squealed when she saw the two of them sitting on the bench and ran over to sit down next to Talyn.  
>"This is the best party ever," Rogue told no one in general, "but I just came to search for you," she gave Talyn a look, "to say goodnight, because Bobby and I are leaving now." She giggled and then grinned at Bobby, who grinned back sheepishly.<br>Talyn had to grin now as well. "Okay, have fun," she said laughing.  
>"Yeah we will," Rogue winked at her. She stood up from the bench again and took Bobby by his hand. She turned around again after a few passes and grinned more widely than before. "You two have fun as well." Bobby laughed loud as they left again, leaving Talyn and Logan on the bench in an uncomfortable silence.<p>

"Uhm, I'm going too," Talyn said as she pointed towards the door of the mansion. "I'm tired and it's late so…" She stood up from the bench. "So, I go to sleep."  
>She walked a few passes and was relieved to hear Logan wasn't going to follow her.<br>"Hey kid," he then growled and she turned around again, "good night."  
>She smiled briefly. "Yeah, you too."<p>

She took a glass of water when she had reached the bar through the crowd and instantly felt better. Most of the alcohol was out of her system now, so she would be fine by tomorrow morning. She made her way through the rest of the crowd and walked through the quiet mansion towards her room, when suddenly an idea popped into her mind.

Now everybody was at the party, the rest of the mansion was quiet.  
>The professor wasn't there.<br>She still had one last job to do for Erik.  
>So, why not do it now? Now would be the perfect timing.<p>

She sighed deeply as she turned around again and walked into the other direction, towards the students' rooms.

In particular, towards Jimmy's room.

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	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Talyn took a deep breath when she had finally found the door that would lead her to Leech's room.  
>Strangely enough, she wasn't even feeling that nervous.<br>Maybe there was still enough alcohol running through her veins to give her the courage she needed, maybe she just didn't realize what she was about to do. Maybe she was just as fucked up as ever. Maybe she was still an emotionless machine that would take orders from Erik, because she trusted him…

_Hell no_, she shook her head. Erik was not a part of her life anymore. She had left so she would learn to live normal. So she could get a job, maybe even make some friends.  
><em>And hell yeah she had been on the right way, until he had to torture her dreams and ask for a favor just now. <em>Now was not a good timing. But she still owed him.

She took another deep breath and knocked on the door softly.  
>Even though anyone else probably would have never heard this, her ears caught a soft 'yes' coming from inside the room.<br>She opened the door and smiled briefly when she saw Leech sitting on the edge of his bed. His bald head seemed to shine in the dimmed lights and his smile was serene.

"Hey Jimmy," she said, trying to sound casual, "I didn't see you at the party, so I just came to check if you are alright."  
>His smile grew, but strange enough there was something in his eyes Talyn could not explain. Some sort of peace maybe.<p>

"I know why you're here," he said softly and calm, "I waited for you."  
>She took a step forward into the room and closed the door behind her. What was he talking about?<br>"What do you mean Jimmy?" she said, still smiling.  
>"I know you're here to kill me Talyn. It doesn't matter. I understand."<br>His voice remained calm, even understanding, but Talyn knew now it was sadness what she seeing in the little boy's eyes.  
>"Don't be silly," she said comforting, while walking closer to him. He was still a few meters away and he wasn't affecting her body now. "Where did you get that idea?"<br>He smiled again. "I just know." He then stood up from the bed and looked her straight in the eyes. His look changed. Not the sadness anymore, but she saw the beast that _she_ had in her when she was fighting for something. It was in his eyes.

"I don't blame you," he said, almost whispered, "but I'm not letting you take my life like that."  
>Then he slowly walked towards her.<br>She was surprised by everything he had said. How did he know she was after him? They never spoke to each other. Why was he so calm and serene about it? And so confident?"  
>Before she even realized it, a sting went through her entire body. She stumbled upon her feet, but managed to stay up and could see through her eyelids that Leech was coming closer to her, and with every step he made, her pain was getting more and more intense.<br>"Jimmy, stop!" she managed to scream out. It made him hesitate for a moment. Enough time for her to pull out her claws, which hurt even more than usual, because her healing factor wasn't working that well with Leech so nearby.

"Don't do this Talyn," the boy said to her, almost begging. He stood still and caused enough pain for her to be confused, instable, but not enough to kill her, not enough to stop her mutation at all.  
>"I have to," she whispered, "you don't understand. I have to."<p>

He walked closer to her and closer, until she collapsed on her knees and was almost blinded by the pain that was caused by the Adamantium on her bones. She could feel it poison her entire body. Her sight was getting worse, she felt dizzy, couldn't breathe well…  
>She had to do something now, before this boy would be her end.<p>

She tried to open her eyes. Saw his feet on the floor, a few inch away from her . He was standing so close.

With her last powers she pulled up her arm and stroke.  
>She could feel blood on her hands and a weight falling on her.<br>She tried to stay conscious, but her body was still poisoned, her head was still dizzy and her body still felt heavier than normal. She wasn't thinking clear now. Her head was spinning.  
>Had she killed the boy? Was he still alive?<p>

Within minutes she could feel how her head started to clear and how her body started to feel better.  
>When she had enough strength, she dared to open her eyes, to see Leech hanging half on her claws and half on the floor, not moving, drenched in blood…<br>"Fuck fuck fuck."  
>She withdrew her claws and stood up from the ground, while Leech was lying in a puddle of his own blood. His bald head was still shining in the dimmed lights of the room.<br>Talyn stood there for a few minutes, mesmerized, thinking about what to do next... The smell of blood intoxicated her. The boy lying on the ground, was taking all of her attention. Somehow, he still looked graceful there. She kneeled down and rolled him over, so he was lying on his back now.  
>It affected her to see him like this. She had killed people before, they didn't matter to her, but somehow this little guy affected her more than anything else.<br>She closed his eyes with her fingers. "I'm so sorry." She could hear her own voice startle.  
>She looked at him for another short moment, until she realized she just had killed him and had to get the fuck out of there.<p>

She listened at the door, if someone was around, and opened it when there was nothing than silence. She practically ran to her own room, washed the clothes to get rid of the blood, just as long until she couldn't see or smell it anymore. Then she took a shower, got into bed and hoped to wake up at some point, realizing that everything had been a dream.

"Talyn, wake up!" Another knock on her door, it sounded impatient. "Wake up!"  
>She slowly opened her eyes and looked at her clock. Almost noon.<br>She stretched her arms and sat up in her bed. "Yeah, what's up?"  
>Her door opened instantly and Storm was standing in the doorway.<br>"You have to come down to my office NOW."  
>"What, why? What's wrong?" She pushed the hair out of her face. "I thought you were away? Why are you back so early?"<br>"Come down, NOW."  
>Storm turned around instantly and shut the door with a loud smash, leaving Talyn sitting in her bed with her heart in her throat.<p>

_Shit, shit, shit!_  
>She stood up from her bed and put on some clothes.<br>They must have found Leech by now, she thought. He was definitely dead, there was no other way to put it.  
>She saw him just as clear as the night before, when she had stabbed him to death. She smacked her own head. God, how could she have been so stupid. She had left her fucking claw marks on the boy, it would lead everyone to either her or Logan. She mentally hit herself.<br>She was such a moron to go around and kill him without a proper plan. She was even lucky she was still alive, he could have killed her too if he was lucky.

She rushed down to Storm's office, on her way thinking about escaping the mansion before they could blame her, of thinking about ways to put it on Logan.  
>She reached the office before she had it figured out though.<p>

The office felt like nothing else she had ever experienced before.  
>There were a few people there. Storm was sitting behind her desk, Jean was leaning against the same desk, both had a frown on their faces. A guy named Scott was sitting on one of the chairs, just as Warren, the Angel-guy she had danced with the night before. Logan was leaning against one of the walls.<br>They all looked up when she entered.  
>"What is wrong?" she asked carefully. She had to try to make it seem like it wasn't her fault.<p>

"Both Jimmy and Professor Xavier are dead," Storm said softly.  
>Talyn's heart stopped for a moment and she took a deep breath after a second or two.<br>"Uh… what?"  
>She didn't even have to act like she was surprised, because she was really surprised now.<br>Storm gulped. "They are both killed."  
>Talyn looked around the room. No one was looking at her, not even Logan who was now just staring at Storm or some point past her.<br>"I… What do I… I don't understand."  
>"Charles is killed by Magneto," Storm swallowed and her voice trembled. Talyn could smell all sort of tears in the room, but no one was crying now. "While he was pleading for peace."<br>Talyn didn't move a muscle.  
>"There is not much left of his body." Storm added.<br>Talyn closed her eyes for a second, then opened them again and looked at Storm. "And Jimmy?"  
>Everyone was silent for a few seconds. Talyn mentally cursed and knew she had to be busted, but somehow she couldn't move.<p>

"Jimmy was here right? Just in the mansion? How…" she didn't finish her sentence and tried to sound confused and sad. Which wasn't really hard to do, because she actually was confused and sad.

"Leech was stabbed," Jean said. Her voice sounded more stable than Storm's. She looked at Logan and then at Talyn. "The stab wounds have to exact same pattern as both your claws."  
>Logan looked at her sideways.<br>"It wasn't me," he growled.  
>""What…" Talyn stumbled. She took her hand through her hair and looked around the room. "What, you think I did it?" She could hear her own voice tremble again, which was real, not an act. She hated herself, she hated herself for killing Jimmy, but she had no option. Erik would have come after he if she wouldn't have killed the boy or brought him to Erik. But she had to save herself here too, if she would betray herself, she would betray Erik too and then it would have been quite useless to have killed Jimmy.<p>

She raised her eyebrows and shot her eyes around the room. No one was really looking at her now.  
>"I didn't kill him," she whispered.<br>Storm coughed and looked up at her. "We don't know who did it," she said, "both of you were at the party, but he has your claws in him, " she paused, "but we haven't found any DNA and maybe they tried to put all the blame on you."  
>"Who?"<br>"The Brotherhood," Storm sighed. "The professor told us you had some contacts there. We think they might want to make us think you did it for them, but they might as well have done it. They have a shape shifter…"  
>"Mystique," Talyn said.<br>Scott looked up from where he was sitting. "You know Mystique?"  
>"Yeah."<br>"How well do you know here?" Jean asked her, interested.  
>She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, a few years. We could get along when I was in the Brotherhood…"<p>

Jean looked at Storm and Talyn was quite sure she said something to her with her mind.  
>"Why would they kill Jimmy?" Talyn asked to no one in particular. Even though she already knew the answer to the question.<br>"The Cure," Warren said, "he made it. He's dead, now the Cure lost all its effect. No new one can be developed anymore too…"  
>"I'm sorry," Talyn said while shaking her head, "why would I kill him? I'm not working for Erik anymore, I'm done with that shit…"<p>

It was quiet for a moment and everyone seemed to be caught up in their own thoughts. Storm was resting her head in her hands, Jean's head was down, Logan was just staring at nothing, Warren looked outside through the window and Scott was staring up at the ceiling. She just stood there, leaning slightly against the door, her hands in the pocket of her jeans.  
>She gulped, which made Logan look up. She caught his eye but looked away again after a flash of last night went through her mind. <em>Damn, how could she think about that now<em>.

"So… what about the school now?" she asked. She didn't know where this was going, but at least it looked like they weren't blaming her.  
>"I will take charge," Storm said. "We will have a funeral in three days."<br>It was all she could say without bursting into tears.  
>"It's the beginning of war," Jean said slowly, "now the Cure is gone, and the professor is gone…"<br>"Only question is which side you're on kid," Logan growled, looking sideways at her.  
>She shook her head. "I have nothing to do with the Brotherhood anymore," she said, "I'm done with them."<p>

Storm coughed again and pulled herself up from her chair, leaning with her hands on the desk. "Well, in that case we have to find out who killed Jimmy," she said, "and we will have to figure out our next steps."

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